Vermilion Parish Rice and Crawfish Farmer Wins Louisiana Farm Bureau Excellence in Agriculture Award
By Bobby Soileau
NEW ORLEANS – Leah McLain’s love of agriculture began early in life growing up on her family’s Braford cattle farm. Her passion for agriculture continues and played a role in her winning the 2023 Louisiana Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Excellence in Agriculture award.
“I am so honored and blessed to represent Vermilion Parish Farm Bureau,” said McLain. “I felt like all of my hard work was all worth it.”
McLain received the award Thursday night at the 101st Annual Convention of the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation. The contest is an opportunity to recognize Young Farmers and Ranchers who do not receive most of their income from an owned agricultural operation. Contestants show how they are actively involved in Farm Bureau and the agricultural industry.
McLain serves as the executive director of the Farm Service Agency (FSA) office in Vermilion Parish. She and her husband John with their two children have a rice and crawfish farm where she serves as the bookkeeper and assists in the management decisions.
“My role on our farm has helped me to understand the importance of making good financial decisions,” said McLain. “It has also helped me to better understand the true economic impact that farming has on our local community.”
The sustainability of agriculture for future generations is very important to McLain. She and her fellow Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee members in Vermilion have raised the money to support graduating high school seniors who are pursuing a degree in agriculture. In addition, they contribute to the state Ag in the Classroom program.
“As a recipient of the Vermilion Parish Dwayne Zaunbrecher Scholarship, I feel a personal responsibility to ensure it is available for future students seeking to pursue a degree in agriculture,” according to McLain. “I feel that having agriculture scholarships available, helps to incentivize young people to pursue degrees in agriculture.”
Some of the issues addressed by McLain during her presentation were hunger in their community, declining funding for agricultural research and labor.
“The importance of funding research and development goes beyond measure,” said McLain. “We need researchers and innovators working to keep up with, or even get ahead of that constant change.”
McLain wants to continue to grow in her role with FSA and serve at the state level with the Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee.
“I’m passionate about agriculture and I’m so blessed to get to play my part in helping our local farmers and ranchers by administering the programs we offer at the FSA.”
For winning the Louisiana Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Excellence in Agriculture Award, McLain receives $7,500 credit toward the purchase of a 4-wheel ATV, courtesy of Louisiana Land Bank, an all-expenses paid trip to the 2024 American Farm Bureau Annual Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah, along with other cash prizes.